From a jail worker, who forgot to lock the door, to 3 inmates that escaped prison dressed as guards.
Here are 5 Real Prison Breaks caught on camera.
Number 1 Derrick Estell.
34 year old Derrick Estell, was arrested in 2013 after stealing a car and evading police.
The police chase ended in a standoff that involved a swat team and tear gas. A week
prior to his arrest, he was also involved in a bank robbery. He was held on 26 charges
including aggravated robbery, burglary, theft, breaking and entering, and fleeing. Over the
next couple of months, Estell, with the help of his mother, girlfriend, and her stepdad,
began to plan how he would make his escape. On July 28, 2013, he was transferred to the
Garland County Jail following a court appearance. This security camera footage catches Estell using
the inmates phone while talking to his mother. He then quickly drops the phone, and dives
straight through the jails open reception window and runs out of the front door.
Estell then jumped into a waiting car and sped away. Tamara Upshaw, Estells girlfriend, was later
revealed to be the driver of the getaway vehicle. Investigators say, Upshaw's Stepdad, William
Harding, distracted the deputies and diverted their attention to the other side of the booking
room, giving Estell the perfect opportunity to escape.
Estell's mother was eventually arrested for her part in the escape,
after investigators listened to their phone conversation
and heard her say, 'are the shackles off?' and 'are there 2 or 3?'. Less than a month
after the escape, Estell and his girlfriend were found in a home in Arkansas and were
arrested. In 2015, Estell pleaded guilty to his charges and was sentenced to 32 years
in prison. His girlfriend was sentenced to 3 years for her part in the escape.
The two others involved are currently awaiting trial.
Number 2. Torie T. Smith
In 2009, 31 year old Torie T. Smith was arrested for aggravated battery on her boyfriend. She
was brought into a New Orleans jail for processing. She was only in the jail for about 2 hours
before she saw an opportunity to escape. In the Surveillance footage that was captured
at the Orleans Parish Prison, we can see an unidentified guard entering the jail, and
slowly closing the door, however it turns out that he didn't lock the door that he came
in. He then asks another jail worker to buzz him through, we then see the guard open and
walk through a door inside the jail, and for a second time he doesn't lock the door.
Just out of frame, Torie T.Smith has seen what has just happened
and asks if she can go to the bathroom, she then begins to make her escape from the jail.
She quickly walks straight through both doors without anyone noticing, and starts running
down the side of the jail.
She then scalesa fence, before moving out of sight of the
camera. Torie was found and re-arrested just 24 hours later in a New Orleans apartment
building. She was re booked into the jail on the battery charge as well as an additional
simple escape charge.
Number 3. Rocky Marquez
Rocky Marquez was jailed in 2010 on many charges, including forgery, witness tampering, DUI,
misconduct involving weapons and drug offenses. The 34 year old, was incarcerated in a Phoenix
prison, where he befriended an inmate that was close to being released. Somehow, Marquez
convinced the inmate to swap id wrist bands with him, so he could get out instead. He
then simply walked out of the prison. Marquez went on the run, and wasn't found for 8 months
until his car was tracked down in Detroit. He was then locked up in a Detroit prison.
Unbelievably, Rocky Marquez escaped prison for a second time using exactly the same method.
In this surveillance footage we can see how he just casually walks out without anyone
asking any questions. Authorities didn't even notice that Rocky had escaped until a full
5 days later. After just over a month, he was found in Mexico and was swiftly deported
back to the U.S. In 2014, Rocky Marquez pleaded guilty to many offenses, including conspiracy
to possess with intent to distribute 1,000 kilograms of marijuana, and conspiracy to
commit money laundering. On July 28, 2014, he received an 18 year sentence.
Number 4.
Chinese Prison Break
On September 2nd, 2014, Gao Yulun, Li Haiwei and Wang Damin, escaped from a prison in Yanshou
county, northwest of China. All three men were in prison for very violent crimes including
murder, 50 year old Gao Yulun had been given the death penalty. The 3 inmates teamed up
and began to come up with an escape plan. At 6am, a guard named Duan took Gao Yulun
to an interrogation room as he requested to make a phone call. Once inside Yulun began
to strangle Duan to death. The other 2 men then rushed into the room and grabbed keys
out of Duans pocket, and used them to steal police uniforms. All 3 men then put the uniforms
on and walked out of the prison one by one.
Police offered of $20,000 reward for any
information that would lead to the recapture of any of the escapees.
The there men were quickly recaptured and apprehended within 10 days of the escape.
On November 13th, Gao Yulun and Wang Damin
were both sentenced to death for their killing of a prison guard
and Li Haiwei was sentenced to life imprisonment for his part in the escape.
3 guards were also given prison sentences in November of 2015, ranging from three to six years for their
abuse of power, as one guard ordered to reduce patrol and monitoring frequency at the prison.
another guard was found guilty as he was responsible for the lack of supervision of police outfits,
and the final guard had fallen asleep on the day of the escape.
Number 5. El Chapo
58 year old, Joaquin Guzman, also known as El Chapo, is a Mexican drug lord and founder
of the Sinaloa Cartel, described by the us government as 'the most powerful drug trafficking
organization in the world'. Since 1989, the Sinaloa Cartel have trafficked high amounts
of drugs from south america, to the united states and beyond. Much of their success has
been due to their smuggling methods, one of which involved air-conditioned tunnels that
ran under the Mexican border. Guzman hired many men to protect himself and his empire,
that are allegedly responsible for over a thousand deaths. In 1993, Guzman was arrested
and sentenced to 20 years in a Mexican maximum security prison. However, in 2001, Guzman
escaped the prison via a laundry cart, by bribing officials and guards, including the
prisons own warden. A free man once again, Guzman continued to run and grow his drug
empire, and in 2009 it was reported that his cartel was making an estimated $3 billion
a year. El Chapo became the US governments number 1 drug target, and offered a $5 million
dollar reward for his arrest. In 2014, Authorities tracked him down in a Mexican hotel, and arrested
him again. Mexican President, Enrique Pena Nieto, declined the us governments request
to have Guzman extradited to the United States, and explained that there was no way
he would escape again.
On July 11th 2015, Guzman escapes from a Mexican maximum security prison..
again. However this time he doesn't even have to leave his cell. the security camera footage shows
Guzman, pacing up and down in his cell, he then moves towards his shower section,
crouches down and appears to vanish.
It was later revealed that there had been a mile
long tunnel dug directly under the prison, that Guzman was able to use to escape.
This footage shows just how well made the tunnel network was, equipped with artificial
light, air vents, and even a motorcycle, that is believed to have been used to carry materials
or possibly to transport Guzman himself. Footage from Guzman's cell was released
in October 2015, that includes audio and shows just how loud the digging of the tunnel was
and may actually prove without doubt that the prison guards allowed the escape to happen.
El Chapo is currently on the run, the US government are once again offering a reward of up 5
million dollars for his arrest and conviction.
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